Sterilizing liquids.



M. VON RECKUNGHAUSEN. A. HELBRONNER & V. HENRI. STERIUZING LlQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I5. 1915.

1 71,246. Patented July 2,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

M. VON RECKLINGHAUSEN. A. HELBRONNER & V. HENRI.

STERILIZING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1915.

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FRANCE, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ANDRE rinrrnounna,

AND VICTOR HENRI, OF PARIS,

STEBILIZING LIQUIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J uly 2, 1918.

Original application filed December 21, 1912, Serial No. 738,069. Divided and this-application filed July 15, 1915. Serial No. 40,036. I

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MAX VON RECKLING. HAUSEN, a sub'ect of the Emperor of Germany, Annmi announce, a citizen of the Republic of France, and citizen of the Republic of France, all residing. at 73 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris, France, have invented new and useful mprovements in Sterilizing Liquids, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vapor electric apparatus and particularly although not exclusively to apparatus of this character which is adapted for the production of ultraviolet rays for the sterilization of liquids and like purposes, is a division of our application Serial No. 738,069, filed December 21, 1912, and has for its object to provide an improved form of vapor electric lamp having a higher efliciency as regards the production of a relatively large amount of ultra-violet rays than has hitherto been possible.

It will be understood that the construction illustrated is at present considered as embodying the best form of the invention which is not limited by the precise details herein described. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a simple form of mercury vapor lamp of the kind above described, Fig. 2 being a sectional view in side elevation of the lamp shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 aIB'VIGWS in elevation and cross section respectively illustrating a preferred arrangement of cooling device for use when the lamp is employed for sterilizing purposes.

Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating a modification in the arrangement of the terminals of the lamp shown in the preceding figures, Figs. 6 and 7 illustrating further modifications in detail.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the lamp in position in a simple form of sterilizing apparatus.

In a mercury apor lamp the container of whichis of a given length and diameter and consumes a. given constant amount of electrical energy, there exists a definite relation between the quantity of luminous radiation and the quantity of ultra-violet rays emitted by the lamp. If, however, the form of the container be altered so that instead of being VICTOR HENRI, a

cylindrical with a rectilinear axis the lamp tube is curved into the form of a U so asto constitute two arms closely adjacent to one another, it is found that the electrical conditions bein unchanged the quantity of ultraviolet ra iation emitted becomes considerably greater. This phenomenon is probably due to the fact that the two arms of the lamp tube re-act upon one another so as to cause a large quantity of heat to be exchanged between the two by.rad.iation.

The U shaped form of container above referred to is obviously 'not. the or-ly form which may be employed in order to produce this increased amount of ultra-violet rays, but in all cases the several portions of the lamp tube must be located sufliciently near together so that an exchange of heat between these portions may occur to a sufiicient extent to produce the desired increase in the amount of ultra-violet rays emitted.

A further improvement consists in impressing on the terminals of the lamp a minimum voltage of from 400 to 500 volts, as it has been 0 served that the increase in the emission of ultra-violet rays due toan increase the impressed voltage is not proportional to the increase in the latter, but the amount of ultra-violet rays emitted increases much more rapidly than the increase in the voltage impressed on the terminals of the lamp. As an example it may be mentioned that a lamp constructed and operating in accordance with the two conditions above stated, namely, the arrangement of the lamp tube in the form of a U and by impressing a high voltage upon the terminals thereof when operated at a voltage of approximately 400' volts with a current of three amperes, is found to have a bactericidal activity eleven times greater than a mercury vapor lamp having a straight container operated at 150 volts and three. amperes, the voltage per centimeter length of the lamp tube being the same in each case.

A lamp at this kind is found to be par- -ticularly suitable for use in sterilizing apparatus since the two electrodes of the lam being located adjacent to one another enab e the sterilizing apparatus to be constructed and arranged in a ver simple and eflicient manner, and various orms of construction of a lamp of this kind for the sterilization ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE R. U. V.- COMPANY, INC., A.

Q ravages of fluids are illustrated by way of example of the electrodes, or, if it is desired to avoid in the figures of the drawmgs. the formation of rust, a circulation of dis- Referring now -t6"Figs. 1 to 5, the mercury tilled water or other suitable llquld may be vapor lamp 1 is illustrated as comprising a provided for cooling the electrodes and 5 quartz tube of U shape, the two arms of which is itself cooled by an or In any other which, 2-3, are located closely ad acent to similar and suitable manner.

one another and very nearly in contact. The The starting into operation of a lamp hav internal form of the lamp 1 is such as to ing a U shaped tube of considerable length provide a restricted portion 4 ad acent to requires a somewhat complicated operation,

10 the negative electrode, while the lamp tube which consists of the following stages ?5 is flattened as indicated at 5 adjacent to the 1. Removing the lamp from the sterilizpositive electrode. Between the portlons 4 ing apparatus. and 5 of the lamp tube and the terminals, 2. Tiltingthe lamp upwardabout an axis piston members 6, 7, are provided between t right gl t the lighting tube.

13 which are loca ed fragments of emg a This latter. movement serves to start the 8, the conductors for supplyingcurrent to lamp into operation but leaves too large a the lamp entering through openings 9 into quantity of mercury on the negative electubular extensions 10 connected to the lower trode side of the lamp. It is therefore necfiortions of the arms 2 and 3 in which are essary to tilt the lamp again about an axis ocated the mercury electrodes. parallel to that of the luminous tube and at In this as in other forms of mercury vathe saine time about an axis at right-angles por lam s, it is necessary that the electrodes t th t of th lighting tube, in order to should cooled to a certaln extent, hi 7 transfer the excess of mercury from the cooling being usually efiected by lateral "negative electrode to the positive electrode.

25 tubular extensions of chambers to which the It is found, however, in practice that with lighting tube of the lamp is connected. In U shaped lamps operating at low voltage the improved lamp as illustrated in th which can be started into operation without drawin however, the electrodes r the movement of any considerable amount rounde by sheets ofthin alumimum, a 1 of mercury, that starting can be effected by 30 dicated at 11,-wings or vanes 12'surround1ngj tilting about a single axis, that is to say, the sheets 11 being provided so arra g an axis arallel to that of the lighting tube, as to be as intimately in contact wlt the the tube eing tilted until one arm is slightly Surface of the electrodes as b T above the other, so that the mercury forms Wings vanes 12 are p e y 0 091110811 a continuous stream between the two elec- 35 form so as to facilitate the introductwn of t d wh on th lamp i t d t the lamp and particularl ,the entire lumlits normal posltion. It is found that the nous tube thereof into is 6' inter 9f th operating life of these lamps can be considquartz ubes. 01' cham rs ffi Q s rl g erably increased by providing arrangements PP A pllf p intimated at 13 intended to determine to some extent the 40 is provided whic either surrounds each ath of the luminou 'arc, d vice of this electrode Separately as shown gind being illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. It s rroun b h of he electrodes n serves has been observed that the luminous arc pgnm n h alummwnrsheets 11 p naturally tends to takelthe shortest path s tlon and o sec e t e i gs r a s 2 from one electrode to the other and it-neces- 45 thereto. Y O sarily follows that with a lighting tube of The portions of the lamp tube contammg U shape the luminous are instead of tending the electrodes need not 1190685111113 be to traverse the middle of the tube as in the r ngedp a t one another, 1 y, as case of a straight lighting tube, tends to shown In gbe arranged at g angles approach that side of the curved portion of 60 to the lighting tube or at any other suitable th li hti t b hi h i dj t t th angle, as Shown in It is Preferable, center of curvature, following, in fact the however, a h angle y the P line indicated at 14 in Fig. 6. The inner of the llghtmg tubefiollPammg e face of the lighting tube is thus exposed by trode relative to the hghtmg tube Itself, reason of the extremely high temperature of to should be greater than a right angl in-o the luminous arc, to much more rapid de- 1 0 der to permit the lighting tube to be terioration than the other portions of the serted into the sterilizing apfiiaratus, so as to tube and the corrosion thus efl'ected is found utlllze to the full e ent t e rays emltted after the expiration of a certain time, to from the lamp. cause the wal of the lighting tube at this 30 The cooling of the electrodes can be obpoint to become somewhat porous and per- 1 tained b other means than the wings or mlt the entrance of air, thus rendering the vanes illustrated; for example, the eleclamp inoperative due to the vacuum being trodes can be arranged to be cooled by diimpaired. This disadvantage is obviated by recting a portion of the liquid in the interior the arrangement shown. in Fig. 6 in which 65 of the sterilizer upon any suitable portion the deterioration of this portion of the light- 1 ing tube and the injurious effect due to such deterioration is prevented by making that portion 15 of the lighting tube of considerably increased thickness, figure. The quartz wall being thickened at this point can readily resist without injury the action of the high temperature of the luminous are.

A modified arrangement for the same purpose is illustrated in Fig. 7 in which in order to maintain the luminous arc away from the wall 15 of the lighting tube any suitable number of projections 16 are provided; the dotted line indicated at 14 illustrates how the luminous arc is ke t at a certain distance away from the wall 0 the lighting tube.

The arrangements illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 are evidently only examples of particular methods of causing the luminous arc to be maintained in proper position at the curved portion of the lighting tube and prevent its too close approach to the inner wall thereof, and other methods of accomplishing the same result may evidently be adopted without exceeding the scope of the invention.

Fig. 8 illustrates the application of the lamps of the. form above described to a simple type of sterilizing apparatus. The latter comprises a casin 17, the interior which is provided with iaflle plates 18, a tubular chamber 19 of quartz .or other suitable materialbeing arranged at the center of the chamber within which a mercur vapor lamp 1 constructed as above describe 1s ocated. The bafiie plates 18 are disposed in such a manner that no portion of the apparatus is shaded thereby from the action of the rays emitted by the lamp, these bafile plates servingto secure an energetic agitation of the liquid, which is necesary for eifective sterilization. Since no portion of the apparatus is shaded by the bafiie plates it is impossible for colonies of bacteria to become established in any ortion of the apparatus so as to reinfect during the sterilizating process.

In the form of sterilizing apparatus illusas shown in thet e water or other liquid device of means for causing an interchange of heat between the electrodes of said device and means for preventing injury to the wall of the container due to the passage of the electric discharge through said device.

2. The combination in a mercury vapor device having its electrodes arran ed adja cent to each other, of means for eflecting the passage of the electric'discharge away from the wall through said device comprising an inwardly extending projection formed upon the wall of said device.

3. The combination in a mercury vapor device of means for effecting an interchange of heat between-the electrodes of said device and means for causing adifi'erence of temperature in certain portions of the wall of the device as. compared to the remainder.

4. The combination in a vapor. electric lamp, having a curved container therefor of means for reinforcing -a portion of the wall of the container.

In testimony whereof We afiixed our signatures in presence of. witnesses.

MAX voN RECKLINGHAUSEN. ANDRE HELBRONNER. VICTOR HENRI. Witnesses:

- WM. Bonmsnn,

H. B. PoLsoN, HANSON vC. Coxn, JOHN BAKER. 

